Internal combustion engine



June 6, 1933. L. M. WOOLSON 1,912,507

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Fiied Oct. 28, 1930 s Sheets-Sheet 1 gwuehtot June 6, 1933. 1,912,507

L. M. WOOLSON INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Oct. 28, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet .2

June 6, 1933.

L. M. WOOLSON INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed 001;. 28, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 6, 1933 v UNITED STATES PATENT o-Fncr.

LIONEL 3E. WOO-LSON, DECEASED, LATE 015 DETROIT, MICHIGAN, BY I. WOOLSON, EXEWTRIX, OF BLOOMFIELD VILLAGE, MICEIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO PACKARD MOTOR OAR COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN mrnmmr. cemzausrron rarenm Application filed Gctoher 28, 1930. Serial No. 481,?57.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines and more particularly to nternal combustion engines of the radial cylinder type.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved formof internal combustion engine.

More particularly it is an object of the invention to provide in an internal combus tion engine of the radial cylinder type a novel means for operating mechanism for various parts associated with each cylinder.

Another object of the invention consists in providing a sub-assembly for internal combustion engines which contains mechanism for transmitting motion from cams to various moving parts associated with the engine cylinders.

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision of a plate adapted to be fitted in the crankcase of the engine and to have assembled thereon, previous to its positioning in the crankcase, a numberof parts whereby a'sub-assembly is readily made prior to placing in the engine.

Another important feature of the invention resides in the provision of a sub-assembly for grouping on a partition plate for the crankcase of an engine and containing rocker arms and rock levers for operating valves and fuel injection mechanism.

A. further important feature of the invention resides in the PIOViSiOIlgOf an internal combustion engine wherein a large numberof parts can be formed upon a plate as a subfrom the spirit of the invention.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a. radial section taken through the axis of the crankshaft of an engine constructed according to the present invention and centrally of one of the cylinders;

" Figure 2 IS a rear elevation of the engine showing the rear cover plate partially broken away and certain parts in section; and

Figure 3 is a face view of the completed sub-assembly.

The present invention deals particularly with internal combustion engines of the socalled radial type wherein a plurality of cylinders, usually an oddnumber, are radially disposed about a more or less barrel-shaped crankcase with the pistons acting through connecting rods onto a single crank on the crankshaft of the engine. The invention is particularly shown and described in an embodiment of such engine adapted to operate on the Diesel cycle and primarily intended for aviation use.

For a complete disclosure of such an en-. gine reference may be had to my copending application, Serial No. 358,899 for Internal combustion engine, filed April 29, 1929.

Referring now to the drawings for a more k complete disclosure of this invention and parti'cularly to Figures 1 and 2 there is shown at a crankcase having a more or less cylindrical portion provided with apertures to receive the reduced inner ends 11 of the cylinders 12 which are held in position by the encircling rings 13 bearing on flanges 14 on the cylinders.

One end of the cylindrical portion of the crankcase is closed by an inte ral plate 15 provided at 16 with a journal fbr the crankshaft 17.

The opposite end of the crankcase has an elongated cylindrical portion 20 adapted to be closed at its outer end by means of the end wall or cap 21 shown as somewhat convex. Intermediate this end wall and the portion of the crankcase receiving the crank 22 and connecting rod "ends is the artition plate or diaphragm 23 whichdivi es the crankcase into the portion for the movement of the crankand the portion 24 containing operating mechanism for the valves, fuel injectors and the like.

The partition plate 23 is received in a circular recess in the crankcase and fits against an annular shoulder 26 to which it may be secured by bolts passing through the bossed openings 27 in the partition plate. This partition late is centrally bored as at 30 to receive t e journal 31 for the crankshaft.

Each cylinder is provided with a valve 32 in the head thereof '0 erated through the rocker arm 33 and pus rod 34. The push rod is enclosed in a tubular casing 35 the inner end of which is received in a bushing 36 mounted on a plate 37 which is bolted as at 38 to a flat portion 39 onthe periphery of the crankcase portion 20. This bushing 36 asses through the part 20 and forms a i gui e for the lower end of the push rod.

Extending parallel to and adjacent each.

casing 35 is a fuel injection pump 40 having a plunger 41 adjustably associated with an actuator rod 42 mounted for reciprocation in a bushing 43 extending through the part 20 of the crank case and beingrsecured to the same plate 37 as is the bushing for the valve push rod.

J ournalled for rotation on the rtion 50 of the crankshaft to the right of t e journal 31, is a sleeve 52 supporting the fuel injection cam 53. Mounted on this sleeve 52 is the hub 54 supporting the valve operating cam 55. The faces of these cams are of about the same radius although, of course, they are provided with different actuating lobes positioned each for its intended purpose. The two cams are adapted to be secured together for rotation in unison by any obvious means such as ti ht engagement with the sleeve 52 and for e purpose of driving them the valve cam 55 has an overhanging peripheral flange 56 provided on its inner surface wi gear teeth 57 which mesh with a pinion 58 suitably supported on a journal and connected to move in unison with the gear 59 which is driven from a pinion 60 on the crankshaft.

Thus the two cams are adapted to move inunison and at a s d bearing 'a definite ratio to the speed 0 the crankshaft.

' In order that the cams may cooperate with.

the valve push rods and the actuating rods for the fuel injectors intermediate mechanism is necessary and this is carried entirely on the partition plate or diaphragm 23. For this purpose t e diaphragm is rovided on its outer face with a plura 'ty of ollow studs 61 secured therein by pressing or in any other suitable manner and arran one for each cylinder. J ournaled on the cylindrical portions of these studs and adjacent the shoulders thereon which limit their movement into the plate are the hubs 62 of rock levers 63 having thereon followers 64 which bear on the periphery of the fuel injector cam 53.

are the hubs 66 of the rocker arms 67 provided intermediate their ends with rollers 68 journaled on suitable pins 69 and adapted to cooperate with the periphery of the cam 55.

To retain the rock levers and the rocker arms in position on the studs suitable caps 70 are fitted over the ends of the studs and held in position by screws threaded into the hollow interior of the studs.

The free end of each rocker arm 67 is cupped as at '75 to receive the end of a connecting rod 76', the other end of which fits into t e bushing 36 to cooperate with the lower end of the push rod therein, whereby the valve may be opened when the roller 68 is lifted by cooperation with a lobe on the valve operating cam.

In order to operate the actuator rod 42 of each fuel injector there is provided a strut 78 havin a ba lend seated in a on at the inner end 0 the actuator rod and wit its opposite end being received in a curved channel 79 on the outer surface of the free end of therock lever for that particular cylinder. In order to vary the stroke of the injector plunger the strut can be moved so that its inner end is closed to or further from the .pivot stud for the rock lever and this is effected by means of the adjusting link 80 pivoted at one end to the strut intermediate its ends and pivoted atv its other end at 82 to the adjusting ring 83.

This adjusting ring is received in an annular groove 84 in the outer face of the diaphragm plate 23 and is held in position and limited in its movement of rotation by means of the studs 85 fitting through slots 86 in the ring and threaded into the plate 23. Rota- I th struts so that the strokes of all of the fuel injectors are adjusted at once. A suitable spring or springs 90 cooperate with lugs 91 on the ring and studs 92 on the partition plate to bias the ring 83 to move the struts toward the far end of the rock levers. Any suitable operating means can be connected to the ring 83 to permit adjustment of the amount of fuel injected to the cylinders and hence the power output of the cylinders.

It will be noted that the diaphragm plate.

' adjusting links 80, the struts 78, and the ring 83. Having all of these parts assembled thereon, rior to its being inserted into the engine cra case, it greatly simplifies the engine assembly for it permits a large sub-assembly to be. made which can be inserted as a unit into the crankcase and bolted into position before the bushin 43 and 36 are inserted and the cams plac on the shaft, Likewise if it is desired to make some major repairs on the engine, this sub-assembly can be removed by first removing the cap 21 on the engine and then the plates 37 carrying the bushings and then the cams so that the partition plate can be removed. It should be noted here that the cap 21 carries an integral sleeve 95 for each stud 61, which fits over the cap 7 O and ensures a rigid support for the outer end of each stud and likewise prevents it from coming loose from the plate 23.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. in an internal combustion engine, a subassembly comprising a crankcase partition plate, valve rockers journaled thereon, fuel injector rockers journaled thereon, fuel injectcr struts en aging said last mentioned rockers, and means loosely securing said struts to said plate for assembly therewith hutpermitting motion in respect thereto.

2. in an internal combustion engine, a subassembly comprising a crankcase partition plate, valve rocker arms iournaled thereon, fuel injection rock levers journaled thereon, a fuel injector strut for each of said levers, an adjusting link pivoted to each strut, and means connecting the links to said plate.

3. in an internal combustion engine, a subassembly comprising, in combination, a. crankcase partition plate, studs removably fitted in said plate, rocker arms and rock levers removably journaled on said studs, a fuel injection strut for each rock lever, an adjusting link pivoted to each strut, and means adjust-ably securing said links to said plate.

4. In an internal combustion engine, a sub-assembly comprising, in combination, a crankcase partition ring, studs arranged in a circle on said ring, rocker arms and rock levers j ournaled on said studs, a fuel injection strut for each rock lever, an adjusting link pivoted to each strut, an adjusting ring concentric to said partition ring and rotatable thereon, and means pivoting one end of each link to said adjusting ring.

5. In an internal combustion en 'ne, a barrel-like crankcase having a tubu ar extension with an open end, a sub-assembly adapted to be bodily inserted into said extenmeans pivoting one end of each link to said ring and means biasing said ring to maximum adjusted position in one direction.

7. In an internal combustion engine, in combination, a crank case of barrel-like form closed at one end, cylinders radiating from said crankcase, a crankshaft journaled in said closed end, a plate removably fitting in said crankcase and providing a'second journal forsaid crankshaft, said plate forming the foundation of a sub-assembly and supporting studs, rocker arms journaled on said studs, valves for said cylinders, means associating said valves and rocker arms and a cam on said crankshaft to cooperate with said rocker arms.

8. A sub-assembly for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination, a plate adapted to be secured in the engine crankcase, a plurality of studs mounted'therein, a pair of rockers journaled on each stud, means retaining said rockers on said studs, an adjusting ring, means positioning said ring on said plate and limiting the rotary movement thereof, a strut for one rocker arm on each stud, and a link for each strut pivoted thereto and to said ring.

9. A sub-assembly for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination, a plate adapted to be secured in the engine crankcase, a plurality of studs mounted therein, a pair of rockers journaled on each stud, means retaining said rockers onsaid studs, an ad justing ring, means positioning said ring on said plate and limiting the rotary movement thereof, a strut for one rocker arm on each stud, a link for each strut pivoted thereto and to said ring and means between the plate and ring to bias the ring.

In'testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 24th day of October,

EMMA F. WOOLSON,

Emeoutfim of the Estate of Lionel M. WooZ- son, Deceased.

sion through said open end and comprising a partition plate between the crankcase and extension, studs mounted on said plate and rocker arms journaled on said studs, a. cap to close the end of said extension and means on the inside of said cap adapted to slide over and support the end of each stud..

6. In an internal combustion engine, a subassembly comprising, iii combination, a crankcase partition plate, studs arranged on said plate, rock levers journaled on said studs, a fuel injection strut for each rock lever, an adjusti link pivoted to each strut, an adjusting ring rotatable in respect to said plate, 

